The sun is shining and temperatures are rising, and you are searching for the latest trendy sunglasses online. Shopping is for some a “me-time” habit, for others a punishment. Regardless of what it means to you, we can only encourage our readers to decipher the intricacies behind fashion, and accessories like sunglasses in particular.
You might be familiar with the harmful impacts caused by fast fashion on the planet, the workers along the supply chain, and more often than not, animals welfare. One concrete action you can take against these questionable practices is for you to adjust your shopping habits; there is no need to sacrifice the quality of the goods you buy or to empty your bank account to do so, and we will show you how in this article.
Let’s start with a practical definition first. So called ‘green’ products are a vague term; one that does not guarantee much vis a vis conventional, more wasteful and toxic items. However, buying ‘eco-friendly’ goods puts the bar higher as it ensures limited (or no) harm done to the environment.
As you might have guessed, the highest standard lies behind ‘sustainable’ products. Defined by the UN as meeting ‘the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’, sustainable development goes beyond environmental safety. It also means to be beneficial socially and economically wise, now and in the future.
Let’s therefore apply this last principle to sunglasses.
What are the more sustainable sunglasses?
The answer might not be the one you expected; the sunglasses you already own! To lessen your personal impact on the environment, one of the most efficient way to do so is to make your current goods last longer: repair, repurpose, reuse (or donate yours, eventually).
Thus, applying the Rs of zero waste will be of great help in that regard, including buying second-hand; if doing so, be mindful of shipping and do so as close as possible to home. Did you know that buying second-hand clothes can help lower your carbon footprint by about 60 to 70%?
As described in our introduction, even though the solutions to prevent climate change and devastating global pollution are complex, some come at practically no cost to you.
What about new and sustainable sunglasses?
If what you are about to buy is (ridiculously) cheap, you can expect the cost to be elsewhere: unsustainable production, biodiversity loss, non-renewable materials, child labor, toxic pollutants, unsafe and unfair working conditions, to name just of few questionable practices behind fast fashion.
Therefore, if second hand options did not work, opt for brands that embody slow, transparent and fair fashion. Even though we cannot claim that there is a perfect list of criteria, support brands that tick most of the below boxes. Concretely, this means being curious, and better said eco-curious, by educating yourself on the matter. Remember that buying equals voting; voting for a world where you can easily find information about how your sunglasses were made, where and whether they were part of overall thoughtful design policy.
Here is a way to get you started on how to spot sustainable eyewear brands:
- Sustainable materials, including packaging: for the frame, compostable materials like sustainably harvested bamboo or cork are a great pick. Make sure to remove the lenses and shred the frame if you want to compost it. Frames made from discarded recycled materials such as wood or plastic can be considered earth-friendly too, provided that they are sourced and manufactured thoughtfully. A last good option to look for are materials that are (almost indefinitely) recyclable such as stainless steel and aluminum.
- Transparency and traceability: sustainable materials play an important role to assess how eco-friendly your sunglasses are, but they cannot be separated from where and how they were sourced/manufactured. Thus, opt for brands that share these crucial details in easily available reports. And ideally, look for trustworthy – holistic – certifications such as B Corp or Cradle to Cradle. Lastly, hit the search button on Remake in case of doubts; their directory will be of great help to decipher each brand’s sustainable and ethical values, including information on wages and working conditions.
- Carbon footprint efforts, including shipping-related: another way for brands to be truly sustainable is to dedicate resources assessing their carbon footprint and design solutions to offset them at all levels; sourcing, production, transport, data storage centers or even in their factories and headquarters. Being carbon neutral should be the standard, not the exception.
- Mission and values: support businesses which embrace diversity and inclusion. Body positivity play a huge role in how we perceive ourselves, and how fashion can contribute to our own wellbeing. In the same vein, buy from brands which are supporting the local economy and are trying to do more than ‘just good’. For example, they employ people with disabilities and from all ages or ethnic groups. Similarly, instead of simply not harming the environment, the brands pledge to be beneficial in some way: to help restore biodiversity in critical areas, for example.
If you are looking for a trustworthy, sustainable American eyewear brand, Sunski is a great place to start. Sunski’s sunglasses and eyeglasses frames are made of recycled plastic scraps, and they are delivered without any plastic packaging. The shades brand also offers a lifetime warranty and offers to fix your sunglasses as long as you own them in order to reduce waste. In addition, Sunski is a carbon-neutral company, and also offers 1% of its sales to environmental organizations as part of the 1% For The Planet campaign.
Final Thoughts
Adjusting our purchase habits might not save the planet or eradicate poverty, but it plays a significant role towards building a greener, safer world. Even though food and transportation are typically pointed out as the most contributors to climate change, fashion is another way to tackle the issue, especially if both brands and customers pledge to put sustainability as a first criteria.
